Will '09 be last of Lisle's Halloween fright fests?
Pumpkins are a lot like poinsettias. The day after the holiday, it's time for them to disappear. Even if pumpkins were not carved and do fit into Thanksgiving decorations, I vote pumpkins should be cut up for pie the first week in November.
In case you missed it, last week the village of Lisle was one of the scariest places on Earth. Last week, my brothers and I added a stop before our scariest night of the year adventure.
The View restaurant at River Bend was transformed into a spiders' den with a thick coating of webs and spiders, and the staff of the restaurant and golf course hosted its first over-18-only night tour of the haunted golf course. Special lighting and a cast of scary characters waited along the golf cart paths to frighten the visitors. Unfortunately, rain prevented the outside haunting for us so, instead, The View employees related stories about the frightening tour.
Porrevecchio and her team turn one of the Park District's maintenance facilities west of the high school into a maze of terror spread among two floors. Students from the high school drama group provide the scenarios and this year, played out their evilness to perfection.
Costumed tour guides welcomed us at the eerie entrance and recited the rules in the dungeon as we walked up to the second floor.
"You may not touch anyone and they may not touch you," they advised. Somehow it was hard to remember that rule when a bloody face is thisclose to you and blood-curdling screams surround you.
Like three little kids, we walked through a graveyard of indescribable horrors, brushed away cobwebs and wandered through a big polka dot corridor. Not too scary until the polka dot-people jumped out of corners. Scooting through the maze as the walls thumped, ugly characters popped out to scare us. Finally, we slid down to the first floor.
We wound around through the first floor of the dreaded dungeon, crawled through a tunnel with a glass floor. Beneath us as we crawled, arms reached up, clawing to catch us. "They can't touch you ... " was my mantra as I quickly crawled. When I could see the exit sign, I knew the end was near. However, exiting the building a masked man outside fired up his chain saw and took the last scream I could summon out of my body.
The frightening experience was soon replaced by even scarier news when we found out that this year is the last Haunted Dungeon. Porrevecchio said that the Fire Department had advised them that due to fire code restrictions, construction changes would be required on the interior structure if the five nights of dungeon were to be repeated next year.
We spoke with Lisle-Woodridge Fire Protection District's Fire Prevention Bureau Chief Jim French about the disappointing news. French explained that the problem lies with the two-by-fours used to construct the walls of the maze.
"There's a special amusement section in the Life Safety Code," said French. "They (the Park District) would have to switch over to metal studs."
The building housing the dungeon is equipped with fire-suppressing sprinklers, in keeping to village and fire codes, but the temporary structure within a permanent structure requires metal instead of wood framing. French added that the structure and event met all other requirements and codes for a temporary facility and event.
The Haunted Dungeon has been a treat for several years. Porrevecchio said they have considered an outside dungeon for next year, but the rainy, cold weather could limit the event. Unless some kind spirit has a solution, last week was the last dungeon for Lisle.
Wait, what about all those 30 scary drama students? How will they channel their annual evilness?
Janet Wilmoth was raised in Lisle. She lived in five countries in 15 years and in Hinsdale for 10. She moved back to Lisle in 1998. Contact her at jans944@aol.com.
